Device for indicating condition of storage batteries.



No 640,753. Patented Jan. 9, I900. H. F. CUNTZ.

DEVICE FOR INDICATING CONDITION OF STORAGE BATTERIES.

(Application filed Oct. 27, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMANN F. OUNTZ, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE COLUMBIA ANDELECTRIC VEHICLE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE AND JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

bEvicE FOR INDICATING CONDITION OF STORAGE BAT-reams.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,753, dated January9, 1906.

Application filed October 27,1899.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERMANN F. CUNTZ, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Hartford, county of Hartford, State, ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDevices for Indicating the Condition of Storage Batteries, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof.

In the application of H. P. Maxim for Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, bearing even date herewith, there is disclosed an inventionwhich has for its object to provide means for warning an inexpertoperator, and in particular the driver of a motor road-vehicle, of theapproaching exhaustion of the storage batteries, which furnish power, toa degree which would be injurious to the batteries, and variousembodiments of the invention are shown. The general object of thepresent invention is the same; but it is sought herein to cover anembodiment of the invention in a form which differs from the particularforms illustrated and described in the aforesaid application and whichpossesses certain characteristics which commend it, particularly undersome conditions of use.

The device in which this invention is embodied has but one needle orindicator, which is in view only at such times as the conditions ofdischarge of the batteries make it desirable that the signaling deviceshould be observed, whereby there is no opportunity for even the mostunpracticed observer to be misled.

Other features of the invention will be referred to hereinafter andexplained with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which theinvention is illustrated.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a View in elevation of a motor-vehiclewhich is equipped with the improved signaling device, the dashboardbeing partly broken out to show the signaling device, while the batteryand its connections are represented by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a planView of the signaling device with part of the top plate removed.

In Fig. l of the drawings the bodyA of the vehicle is represented asadapted to receive Serial No. 734,925. (No model.)

the storage battery 13., while the signaling as: vice is convenientlylocated, as at C, at the forward end of the foot-board. A suitablecasing C incloses and supports the several parts of the signalingdevice, its top having a slot 0, through which the'indicating-needle maybe seen. The indicating-scale 0' may be formed upon the glass, whichcloses the slot, and a portion of the scale, as at 0 may be colored orotherwise distinguished from the rest for the purpose of indicating moreclearly and unmistakably the danger position of the needle. At D isrepresented a solenoid which is so wound as to respond to differences involtage or potential, its curved core 01 being carried by an arm D,which is suitably pivoted at d and carries the volt meter-needle E. Asecond solenoid F, wound with heavy wire, so that its operation isdetermined by the amperage of the current which passes throughit,likewise has its curved core f carried by an arm F, which is pivotedatf'. Both of the solenoids are suitably connected with the battery, thevolt solenoid being connected through the contacts of a circuit-breakerG, the movable arm G of which is carried with the arm F, above referredto; The arm G is preferably not fixed rigidly to the arm F, but isconnected therewith by an adj usting-screw g, which permits the relativeposition of the arm G to be varied as the conditions of use may require.So long as the amperage is normal the circuit through the volt solenoidis closed and the voltmeterneedle E will stand at some point on thescale 0, informing the operator as to the condition of the batteries;but when the amperage is abnormal the voltmeter circuit will be brokenat G and the voltmeter-needle will pass out of sight at the end of thescale. Thus, whenever the needle is out of sight the operator need notconcern himself as to the condition of the batteries; but when itappears upon the scale and approaches the danger point the operator willunderstand that the batteries are being exhausted to a dangerous degree.If it is desired at any time to make the voltmeter independent of theabnormal amperage cut-out, this can be effected by closing a switch H,which is included in a shunt around the circuit breaker or cut-out G.

It will be understood that the details of construction and arrangementcan be varied and that the invention is not limited to the preciseconstruction and arrangement shown and described herein.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a device for indicating the condition ofstorage batteries, the combination of a volt meter and anelectromagnetic device wound to respond to differences in the amperageand operatively connected with the voltmeter to control its operation,substantially as shown and described.

2. In a device for indicating the condition of storage batteries, thecombination of a voltmeter, a cut-out in circuit with said voltmeter,and an electromagnetic device wound to respond to differences inamperage and operatively connected with said cut-out to control theoperation of the voltmeter, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a device for indicating the condition of storage batteries, thecombination of a volt solenoid, a voltage-indicator carried with thecore of said solenoid, an ampere solenoid, and a cut-out in the circuitof the volt solenoid operatively connected with the core of the amperesolenoid, substantiallyas shown and described. 7

4:. In a device for indicating the condition of storage batteries, thecombination of a voltmeter, a cut-out in the circuit of said voltmeter,an electromagnetic device wound to respond to difierences in amperageand opera tivelyconnected with the cut-out, and a switch included in ashunt-circuit of the voltmeter around said cut-out, substantially asshown and described,

This specification signed and witnessed this 25th day of October, A. D.1899.

HERMANN F. CUNTZ. In presence of- H. E. HART, M. L. CLARK.

